So I'm back... again. I hope all of you are still with me. I decided that every Wednesday True Colors will be updated. I only have one class that is from 9-10am and I usually don't work. Plenty of time to update :) I apologize for this chapter being so short after months away but it just felt finished. I have already started working on the next chapter so I hope to see plenty reviews in my inbox.

Review and I will reply with a sneak peak of Chapter 13! Enjoy :)


Chapter 12

In the months that I had known Bella Swan, I had never seen her so happy. Her smile never once left her face. She danced instead of walked. She sang.

And boy could she sing.

I caught her one morning after breakfast singing and swaying those hips. For once, she didn't have a care in the world. Alice was perched on the counter, drying the dishes and putting them away as Bella washed and handed them to her. She caught me staring and her blue-gray eyes narrowed.

She knew.

She knew and she still hadn't said anything to either of us. Alice wasn't one to sit and wait for people to come to her. She always took the initiative.

That's why today – the day Bella was heading back home – I sought Alice out instead of spending time with my girls. Not knowing what my sister was up to was eating me alive. I had to talk to her and then I would take Bella out to lunch before she left.

"Looking for me?"

I spun around and came face to face with Alice. Addie was strapped to Alice's chest in some baby contraption while snoring quietly.

"You're going to end up spoiling her with how much you carry her in that thing," I told her.

Alice arched a perfectly groomed eyebrow at me. "Somehow I don't think that's what you really wanted to tell me," she said. Her hand gently brushed over Addie's head. "Besides, Addie loves her Auntie Alice bonding time."

"And where is Bella?"

"Went to town," she answered. "Why? Hoping to catch another show?" Alice walked pass me, pulling Addie out of the carrier as she went. Addie made a quiet, grunting noise but was silent again after being placed in her swing. Alice turned the swing on and Addie began to sway back and forth. "So you and Bella huh?"

I tore my eyes from the swaying baby and looked at my sister. Her arms were crossed and she didn't look very happy with the idea of her brother and best friend.

"Is that such a bad thing?" I asked.

"Well I don't know, Edward. Just a few nights ago, the two of you couldn't stand each other."

"And we fixed things." She was really beginning to confuse me. She had sided with Bella. She wanted us to fix things and now she was angry? I didn't get it. "I thought you wanted us together, Al. what happened to us being IT for each other? Since you two became friends, you wanted us to meet and now that we have and something is blossoming, you're ticked. Make up your mind already." Alice opened her mouth to interrupt but I held up a hand to stop her. I wasn't finished yet. "Bella and I care about one another. I want forever with her, Alice."

"Then you need to be honest with her, Edward."

"You want me to tell her about Katie." Alice nodded. I groaned and thrust a hand through my hair. I was doing well with not thinking about her until recently. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Do you love Bella?"

"I do."

"She deserves to know about your past, Edward. You don't need to forget her."

The familiar tightness in my chest was back. I rubbed the achy spot, urging it to go away. Since I had Bella and Addie, I barely noticed it. I wanted it gone.

"She's going to think that I'm using her… that she's a replacement." My voice cracked as I fought to keep my emotions in check. I didn't want to cry. I didn't want to feel this kind of pain because when I did, it brought me to my knees. "I can't lose her too, Alice."

Alice's tiny arms wrapped tightly around me just as I began to lose control. "It's okay," she whispered. "It's okay, Edward."

The pain of missing Katie was becoming so unbearable. I clutched tightly to my sister. She was my only life line right now.

"I can't, Alice."

"You won't."

"I love her so much. If I lose her, I don't think I will survive it."

"It's okay," she soothed. "Bella and you will be alright. I know it hurts, honey, but if you want any kind of future with her then you need to tell her everything. About Kate. How you feel. Everything."

I pulled away from Alice as I struggled to calm down. Alice's own face was wet with tears. Her hands came up to my face to wipe my own away.

"Edward?" a soft voice called from the doorway.

Alice and I both turned in the direction of my name. Bella stood there two bags of groceries in her arms. My sister quickly rushed over and took the bags from Bella. Almost as if she was unsure of herself, Bella approached me. Her brown eyes were filled with pain and my heart ached even more. I had caused that hurt look on her face.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

I struggled to speak; my throat sore from crying. "We um…" I hesitated. "Will you… I mean… shit."

"Hey. Talk to me."

"Can we go for a walk or something?" I managed to ask. "It's' really important that we talk."

I could see the wheels turning in her head and hated myself for putting any doubts into her head. She turned to Alice but Alice only waved a hand at her.

"Go," she ordered. "I'll watch Addie."

"Thanks, Al." I took Bella's hand in mine, leading her through the door she had just walked through.